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Holds

Also called Reserves, Holds allow our patrons to get the material they are looking for without coming to the library every day and checking the shelves to see if it has been returned.

If the item you're looking for is checked out to someone else, you can request that a hold be placed on it. When the item is returned, the lending staff will set the item aside for you, and you will receive an email informing you that your hold is ready to pick up.

To place a hold on library materials,
go to the library
catalog and click on the "Request" button.

Answers

Who can place
holds?

In order to provide our entire borrowing community with equal access to our most popular materials, Greenwich Library makes it possible for everyone with a valid library card to place a hold request on an item.

How do I know if my hold has
been placed?

With your library card, you can use the "View My Library Account" feature of our website to see which items are on hold for you.

You can also call Lending Patron Services (203-625-6524) during library hours with your library card number. Staff will be able to assist you with any questions regarding the status of your holds or library account.

Why has my hold been denied?

If your hold has been denied, it is usually because there is a problem with your library record. Some common problems are:

Your Card has expired.

You owe a fine of more than $5.00.

Your card is blocked because the Circulation Staff need to clear up some other problem with your record.

Your card has been issued by another town in Connecticut, and has not yet been registered with Greenwich Library.

The next time you are in the Library, stop by the Patron Services Desk (to the left of the Returns Desk), and a staff member will be able to help you with your record or you may call us at 203-625-6524.

Are there any materials that can't be requested?

Periodicals, art prints, and items that have a status of "Missing", "Billed", "Claims Returned", "Lost and Paid", as well as Reference items cannot be requested.

Do unfulfilled holds expire?

Yes, a default time period of 180 days will be applied to all requests. If the hold request is not filled by this time, it will automatically be canceled and dropped from the patron's record.

Please also note that suspended holds will also expire after 180 days if they are not reactivated by the patron.

I am going away, how can I make sure I don't lose my holds?

To suspend your holds, click on "My Library Account". Then:

Click on "Check My Account".

In the first box type in your library card number or username.

In the second box type in your four digit PIN.

Click on "All Holds".

Check the box to the left of the item(s) you would like to suspend.

Click on the green "Suspend" button.

A popup will appear showing whether the hold was successfully suspended.

A popup will appear showing whether the hold was successfully activated.

Are there
any limits to the number of requests I can place?

Please keep in mind that holds placed on items which have the status "available" must be retrieved from the shelf and there is only a limited number of staff to perform this service. Should a patron place so many hold requests that we feel it negatively affects our ability to provide this service to the entire community, the library will place limits on such requests.

In the interest of fairness to other patrons, the amount of time that your items will be held for you cannot be changed.

In order to make sure that you are notified about your hold, it is important to make sure that you inform the Lending Staff if your email address changes.

You can also check on the status of your holds online, by using the "View My Library Account" menu option. From here, you can see all of your holds and their status. If a hold's status is "Ready For Pickup", you can come in and get it.

As with all of our patron record information, your email address is considered confidential. Greenwich Library does not share this information with anyone. For more about Greenwich Library's Confidentiality Policy, click here.

The
catalog says the item is "Available," what does that mean?

When an item's status is "Available", it means that the item is in the Library. If you place an online hold for an "Available" item, you will not be able to pick it up until your online record indicates that the item is "Ready for pickup". It normally takes several days to process an "Available" hold request. In the meantime, it is still possible that the item may be checked out to another patron who found it on the shelf before our staff was able to set it aside for you. The fastest way to have an item set aside for you is to call the Reference Desk during library hours at (203) 622-7910, and ask them to pull the item from our shelf and set it aside for you.

How long do I have to pick
up my material?

Holds may remain on the shelf a maximum of 5 days for books/CDs and 4 days for DVDs. In the morning, we remove all expired holds at 9:00 a.m.

In order to provide fair service to our entire borrowing community, the amount of time given to pick up your materials cannot be changed.

We ask that patrons pick up all items being held for them.

How
can I check on the status of my hold?

You can check on the status of your hold by using the "My Library Account" link. This will tell you if a hold is "ready for pick up", or not. You can also see how far down the waiting list you are for an item. Keep in mind that your position on the list may fluctuate slightly due to unforeseen events beyond our control. It is for this reason that we ask our patrons to look at the list as an approximation of when their materials will be available, and not as an exact meter.

How can I keep track of my holds online?

You can log in to "My Library Account" to see which items are on hold for you. To view your holds, click on the link that says how many requests (holds) you have. You may also call Lending Services at 203-625-6524 during library hours.

Where are the self service hold shelves located?

The self service hold shelves are located in the Self Check-out Area where the self check machines are currently located.

How will my privacy be protected, and how will my items be shelved?

Hold slips contain the item's information, the first four letters of your last name and the last four digits of your barcode; no other personal information is on the slip. Items are arranged alphabetically by a combination of your last name and card number.

For example, material for John Smith with card # 21117001234567 will be filed under Smit , 4567.

What if someone else tries to check out one of my held items?

A person cannot check-out an item that is not on hold for them. The self check machines will stop the transaction.

What if I want to pick-up a family member's holds?

You must bring your family member's card with you, or you will need to have your accounts linked. If you do not have your family member's card, once your cards are linked, we can check out the items for you at the Returns Desk. Forms for linking accounts are available at the Returns Desk.

Where will Inter-Library loan (ILL) items be kept?

ILL items will be kept behind the Returns Desk.

Are video game discs kept on the hold shelf with the case?

No, the discs are still kept behind the Returns Desk. You may check-out the case at the self-check machine and retrieve the disc from a staff member at the Returns Desk. Alternatively, you may check-out the game at the Returns Desk and obtain the disc at the same time.

What happens if I have several on hold at the same time or I have an oversize item on the hold shelf?

In such cases, we will put one of the items (or a "book dummy") on the shelf and attach a slip to let you know where your items are located.